I've been doing intermittent fasting for a long time, maybe almost a decade. It was never for a caloric deficit since I still make up for it 1-2 big meals later. The beneifit was not having the need to constantly raise my insulin levels, which would either make me more hungry or more tired from eating carbs in the morning. What I do now has reduced a significant amount of the fat around my belly area. Was still able to obtain gains too in muscles.